Year 6 Setting Description Space Monkey End Result

Year 6 Setting Description Space Monkey

End Result: Write an ‘Explode the Moment’ piece to describe the setting of our Solar System. The following slides will support you in writing a short setting description piece. The setting will be based on the clip you are about to watch.

Lesson 1 Sit back, relax and enjoy… Use the following link to watch the clip ‘Space Monkey’. If the link does not work, type into google ‘Space Monkey on Literacy Shed’ https: //www. literacyshed. com/space-monkey. html You may want to watch the clip more than once to ensure you haven’t missed anything.

Lesson 1 Initial Thoughts… What colours can you see within the night sky? What was the planet you could see? What expressions were seen on the monkey? What emotions did this display? Were any of the stars moving? If so, where were they going? TASK: Discuss and record any thoughts you have about the video.

Lesson 2 Comprehension: We need to absorb the video even more. To do this we will answer some comprehension questions. Re-watch the video: https: //www. literacyshed. com/space-monkey. html Example Q+A: Q: What is the ‘trailblazer’ mentioned 3 seconds into the video? A: The trailblazer could be the monkey or it could be the rocket as it says ‘in space’ and later on in the video both of these things go into space. TASK: Look at document 1. Choose a set of questions to answer about the video. Remember to write your answers in full sentences

Lesson 3 Features of the Text Type… Use the following key to identify the features of the text type using the text. Highlight or colour where the features appear in the text. Feature Colour Have they used powerful adjectives to describe nouns? Have they used figurative language? (personification, metaphors, similes) Have they use fronted adverbials to begin sentences? Have they used some pronouns to replace proper nouns? Have they used their senses to support their descriptions? Have they used adverbs to describe any movement? TASK: Highlight all the features from the success criteria above on the setting description writing in document 2.

Lesson 4 Features of the Text Type… Use powerful adjectives to support your description – e. g. In front of the astronaut, emerged a bold, bright and colourful sphere. Use of pronouns – He slowly gulped, wondering if this jawdropping sight had ever been seen before. Use of senses – The monkey sat there in astonishment, eyes wide and his mouth vacant of any moisture. His back tingled in anticipation as he opened his eyes to find the most breath-taking sight. A moment of deafening silence ensued as he stared, perplexed by the sight that he faced. Use of adverbs to describe movement – The stars dashed expeditiously across the dark abyssal depths of space Fronted adverbials – In the distance, a cloud of purple and yellow light parachuted across the sky. TASK: Using some of the sentences highlighted in yesterday’s lesson (on doc 2) tweak the language so that it fits your own writing. Some examples of tweaked language can be found above. Try and make the sentences so they still demonstrate the highlighted technique when tweaked. You may wish to use both document 4 s to

Lesson 5 Golden Lines Hunt… Exploding the moment = going into great detail about one small area of a story by adding in a great amount of detail and building tension. Read the texts An Alien World and The Night Sky. Both texts are fantastic setting descriptions which explode the moment. Identify any golden lines or vocabulary that is particularly effective and would work in describing the setting of space Create a mind map of ideas. TASK: Check document 5 and 6 for short stories that can be used to find golden lines.

Lesson 5 Example Ahead of me was just the endless road, and the inky black sky. Like the beam from a powerful torch, a single, bright blade of light suddenly sliced through the sky. Golden Lines TASK: Check document 5 and 6 for short stories that can be used to find golden lines.

Lesson 6 Setting Description… Bring your setting to life. Use the golden lines and the language features you have picked up already to describe your setting Dense nebula clouds strewn with sparkling stars emerged in the impenetrable blackness. TASK: Check document 7 for an image of the main setting. Annotate the image by tweaking Golden Lines so they fit your image.

Lesson 7 Planning Arrange the images in document eight, all of which have been taken from the animation. Label each image with powerful adjectives, figurative language and adverbials. For inspiration, use some of the language you have gathered. TASK: Check document 8 for images from the animation.

Lesson 8 and 9 Success Criteria Read the different success criteria. Decide whether bronze, silver, gold or platinum is most suitable for you. Check document 9 for differentiated success

Lesson 8 Now it’s time to write… Use my modelled setting description to portray setting that the space monkey finds himself in and his vision of earth. You can use my example for golden lines or write your own opening and second paragraph. Remember to use the success criteria to guide your writing. Don’t try to complete all of your writing today. We will finish it in tomorrow’s lesson. For today focus on the setting Ominously, the inky backdrop of the shuttle was a dark abyss. Suddenly, a purple streak flew across the inky sky. Strewn across vast space-scape, were specks of dazzling spots. These spots fluctuated in both their size and luminosity – some blindingly bright, others a dim pulsating glow almost drowned out by the sea of black which surrounded it. Taking in his surroundings, a dryness flooded his mouth as he noticed the great expanse in front of him, devoid of any life. His insignificance had never been more obvious as he floated aimlessly in the magnificent immenseness of the cosmos. There, just there, in front of him a marble-like sphere, covered in hues of blue, green, white and brown stood alone. He recognised it immediately – home. Reaching out his spiny fingers, it seemed so close, and yet it was so far away. TASK: Describe the setting of the Space Monkey and his vision of earth as he sees it. Use the modelled piece of writing above as an example. .

Lesson 9 Writing the next part Use my modelled writing to describe the Space Monkeys experience as he passes through space back toward earth You can use my example for golden lines. Remember to use the success criteria to guide your writing. Today we will finish the writing. Coursing through space the shuttle took its intended route and began to approach, albeit very slowly, the gargantuan blue planet that he recognised as earth. Hours passed and the planet gradually grew in size as he got closer and closer. Eventually entering the atmosphere, the shuttle began to shake uncontrollably. The calmness of space which he had enjoyed so peacefully was now abruptly interrupted by a ferocious tremble which increased in a crescendo of violent intensity. With the release of my parachute, he felt a sharp jolt and began to slow as he reached the ground. Exiting the shuttle, a great anti-climax descended upon him: the earth he had landed on 65 years after leaving was just as devoid as the space he found himself not so long ago. This was not the earth that he had fond memories of – it was a shell of its previous self. In sending the space monkey to space, he thought that Man had condemned him to death. Yet, apparently, he was the only one destined for survival. TASK: Describe the experience of the monkey as he approaches earth and his experience at the end as he leaves the shuttle of the Space Monkey using the modelled piece of writing above as an example. Continue to use Success Criteria.

Is your description complete? Once you have finished your writing, check through carefully and use a dictionary to check spellings (online dictionaries can be very useful during this process). Have you achieved all of your success criteria? Leave a self assessment and put your work in a safe place, ready to hand back into me once we return to school. I can’t wait to read your finished pieces of writing. We will find the time to share them with each other.